The Serpent & The Butterfly
by xXbriannaXx
Summary: The Martin Twins were popular amongst all teenagers in Beacon Hills. Some thought they were the same person split in two, but those who actually knew them also knew the truth; they couldn't be more different. While Adelaide Martin was completely different from Lydia, they had one thing in common; they were insane. Stiles/OC
1. The Return

**A/N: **So...I've started another story, and I'll most likely alternate between this one and Wicked Games. This is actually a rewrite of a fic I did before, that was kind of badly written, and I missed it soo...here it is :D Thank you for reading it, you're awesome ;D Monkeygonetoheaven was someone that reaaaaally helped me out, so go check out her fics; **_Rewritten: Welcome Home Nikita Grace_**, and **_Purple Daze_**, they're both freaking amazing c:

**Rating: **T, will most likely change later on

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Teen Wolf, anything you recognize is Jeff Davis' (;

**Chapter 1**

**Black Sheep by Gin Wigmore**

Planes were annoyingly confined. They were stuffy, and there was always some annoying little kid kicking the back of her seat. It didn't matter if she'd only been on one 4 times in her life, it was enough for her to build a natural hatred for them.

Adelaide was finally going back home. No one knew of her return yet, well no one but her best friend. Everyone else was completely clueless, even her sister.

But there she was, seated in a plane, playing Temple Run on her phone and listening to Taylor Momsen's husky voice, 3 days before school started. Truth be told, she didn't actually want to go back, but she didn't want to stay in New York either. She was stuck in a rut for about 1 month, deciding on whether she should go back early or not, and she decided on yes. Her father and his gold digging, snobby wife were the last straw. She had to go back home.

Her annoyance in the whole situation increased further when she felt the back of her eat jolt forward. There it goes. The kid that kicks her seat. It _had _to be the same one as the other 3. Either it was the same kid, or kids just naturally liked to destroy everything around them.

She decided it didn't matter which it was after one particular blow that sent her phone flying across the isle. Her face was red with anger and her fists were clenched as she turned to give the kid a piece of her mind.

"Listen here you little shit, I have had enough of your kicking and crying. I am tired, annoyed, and _very _close to punching you in the face. Stop kicking my _fucking seat._" the boy looked to be about 10 years old, and also terrified.

Thankfully, the lady next to him, his mother she presumed, was in a deep slumber.

Unfortunately, the rest of the plane, was not. Most of those around her looked at her with disapproving gazes that she didn't care for.

She turned back in her seat and resumed her previous position.

When her earbuds were once again plugged in, she tried to get as comfortable as possible. The more she thought about it, the more she hated what was bringing her back home. Time seemed to fly by as she thought about what happened in the last 4 months.

New York was one of the wildest, and funnest experiences she'd ever had. But she there were things that made it the worst. Things that she wished never would have happened. Things that hurt more than she let on. Things that sucked.

She was jolted out of her thoughts when she heard the voice of a flight attendant echo throughout the plane.

"The plane will be landing in approximately 5 minutes. Everyone, please remain seated until further notice. Thank you."

She didn't realize how much time had passed until she looked down at her phone; it read _5:45 _pm.

* * *

As soon as she was out of the plane and in the actual airport she checked her phone. Just as she suspected she had 1 message.

Her gray eyes scanned the text message lazily.

_Asshole Bestfriend: Hey, I'm here, where the hell are you? _

She managed to roll her eyes before texting back: _Calm your tits, I just got out. Better yet, where the hell are you? __  
_

Although her face was void of any make up, and her strawberry blonde hair was pulled into a high pony tail she still managed to ooze confidence and boredom. Her denim shorts and marvel muscle tank wasn't enough to keep her cool, and small beads of sweet started at the base of her neck.

She knew she probably looked like some creep just standing around with her one suitcase behind her. The rest of her things would be in her house withing 3 days, or so they said.

When she decided she wanted to sit down, she passed the kid that had been kicking her seat for almost the whole flight back. He turned around and caught sight of her familiar face, he immediately cowered behind his mothers taller figure.

She couldn't help but feel a little satisfied that she'd provoked such a reaction. It wasn't that she liked having people fear her...or maybe it was, but she only got along with one kid, and he was definitely not it.

After she waited for 5 minutes, she decided to call him. There was no reason for him to be taking so god damn long to simply text back.

She put the phone to her ear after punching in his number. After 3 rings, his baritone voice reached her ears.

_"What?" _she could tell she was distracted.

"What do you mean, what? I'm waiting for you asshat, where the hell are you?" she let the irritation slip into her voice as she bounced her leg up and down out of habit.

_"I've run into some minor complications." _as soon as she heard those words, she knew what he meant, and she was _not _happy.

He just left her hanging, all because he saw a cute guy.

_That little shit. _

"Alexander Devereux, you get your ass here _right this instant_ or I swear to fucking god I will send everyone the picture." when the words left her lips all she heard was the sound of his shallow breathing. He knew _exactly _what she was talking about.

"You're not the only one with the incriminating photos, babe." she could basically hear the smirk on his lips as he said it and she couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"Aleex." she nearly whined into the phone, "I'm hungry, and you _know _how I get when I'm hungry." she heard his small gasp, and several apologies to his 'minor complication'. Their mostly playful conversation ended when she hung up, and she couldn't help but let a small smile force its way onto her face. She wouldn't admit it, but she'd actually missed Alex, probably as much as she missed her sister.

Whenever she'd find herself in some new, wild adventure in New York she couldn't help but wish that her best friend was with her. How he'd react to the beauty of Time Square, what he would do to make it more fun, or what he would have told her awful step mother; he, just like her sister, was always forcing his way into her mind.

She finally spotted him, pushing people out of his way to get to her. His sandy blonde was in its usual mess, he claimed it looked sexy, and it kinda did. He changed from the last time she saw him, he was taller, his skin took on a more tanned look, due to it being summer, and he was buffer.

When he looked up, he finally spotted her. A big smile flew across her face as he literally shoved someone out of his way to get to her.

She was pretty sure she was grinning like a complete idiot; she even dropped her bags and held her arms out for him.

Sure enough, when he was close enough he pulled her too him in a bone crushing hug that she returned with the same amount of enthusiasm. She always loved his hugs the most; he was warm, and fluffy, and he didn't do those half-assed hugs.

"You smell like sweat" he whispered into her ear as they clung to one another, effectively ruining the moment.

Adelaide let go of him and looked up at him with a small glare that held more amusement than it should have.

"Being in a plane for 8 hours will do that to you" she paused for a second before adding, "Now feed me."

* * *

After they'd gotten Adelaide bags and everything else settled, they hurried to the nearest Jack in the Box.

It may not have been as good as Tomy's Burgers, a burger joint in her hometown, but it was enough to settle Adelaide's mood.

"So, now that the beast has been tamed, are you going to tell me how New York was?" Alex asked as soon as she took her last bite of a huge burger. How someone so small could consumer something so big, was beyond him. He was excited to learn about her adventures in New York. He'd always wanted to go, in fact, he even made plans to live there with Adelaide when they were older. It was all a part of their little life plan. When he found out that she was going, he was slightly envious. She got to go to New York, while he had to stay in a boring, small town.

"Are the guys as pleasing to the eye as they say?" he added. The knowing smirk on her face told her what he really wanted to know. _Yes, yes they are. _

"New York was everything they said it was. Overwhelmingly crowded, fun, adventurous, and filled with amazing shit. I mean there was some pretty bad shit too, but overall it was fun."

"That's it? I mean...no summer fling? No clubs? Come on, you know that that's not _all _there was." he winked, "I want the details, babe." his eyebrows waggled in a suggestive manner.

Adelaide's secretive smirk made him halt in his movements. He knew that look.

"So there _was _a fling?" he leaned forward in anticipation. "Do tell."

"Come on, Alex, you know I don't kiss and tell." her smug eyes told a whole different story as she regarded him with amusement.

"I have a feeling it was more than _just _kissing Ads." his eyes were twinkling as he kept talking, "Did you _luuurve _him?"

When the words were out of his mouth, her mood shifted. He noticed, and his once playful gaze turned to one of confusion.

"No." he didn't exactly know why she was tense all of a sudden, but he knew something bad must have happened to get such a reaction. So for her sake, as well as his own, he dropped it.

* * *

They were finally on their way back home, which was only 30 minutes away from where they were before.

15 minutes had already passed, and all they'd done was talk about what happened while they were away from one another. Some people actually assumed they were together, which in turn made them both laugh in their faces. It was rather hilarious to think that someone that was like a brother to you, would be considered a love interest.

By the time they were 2 blocks away from Adelaide's home, Alex questioned her on what really mattered in that moment.

"Well you're going to be home in like 2 seconds...your mom's going to pretty surprised." he glanced at her from the corner of his eye, only to find her bored expression.

"So?"

"So...you should _probably _call her. Like now. Just - you know - a suggestion."

"How about _no_?"

"Your mom's pretty scary when she's mad, Ads, actually all of you are. But especially your mom. She's like...the lady hulk when she's mad. And I don't know about you, but that shit's scary."

They'd finally pulled into her driveway when she threw him a smirk.

"I'm Adelaide Martin, sweetheart. Us Martin girls don't do fear"

* * *

**A/N: **So did you like it? ;D I reaaally hope you did. I'd really appreciate it if you reviewed, it actually makes me really happy to read them, like really happy :D And if you have any questions, you can PM me c:

xoxo Brii (:


	2. We Missed You

**Ahh! Thank you guys soooooo much for the reviews, the follows, and the favorites! You guys are the best! :D I really wish I could PM the Guest reviewers D: **

**If you're reading this authors note, thank you so so so so much for taking the time out of your day to review c: You guys are simply amazing, and it made me really happy to know that you enjoyed the first chapter.**

**I couldn't find a song to pair it with...so I'll just use the one I'm listening to right now, and if you have any suggestions, I'll put it in (:**

**Chapter 2**

**Imagine by John Lennon**

Adelaide Martin had never been the kind of person that liked surprises. In fact, she hated them, so when she entered her home to find just about everyone she knew in her house yelling 'Surprise' at the top of their lungs, she punched the person right in front of her.

It just so happened to be Jackson Whittmore; her frienemy.

Everyone went silent as soon as he went down. He was holding his bruising jaw delicately and groaning in a agony. He was most likely cursing her existence, but she couldn't find it in herself to care.

To say she was surprised was an understatement.

She was under the impression that nobody knew about her arrival. She only told Alex, which could only mean one thing.

Alex told Lydia.

By the time she'd turned to give him a piece of her mind, he was gone.

_You better fucking run, _she thought.

The sound of heals clicking against the wooden stairs filled her ears and she found herself turning at the obnoxious sound. There she was. Her exact replica in heels.

The same body, same face, same hair, the only thing different about them was their eyes. Gray/blue eyes against emerald green ones.

"Adelaide." she whispered before running, or at least trying, towards her.

The impact of her twin sister colliding with her sent her stumbling back a step.

Warmth immediately spread through her entire being as her sister clung onto her, and she hugged her back. The way they clung to one another, people would say they hadn't seen one another in years. There was a mixture of love and desperation in the way the clung onto each other, desperation to never be apart from one another again.

"I really missed you, Ads" Lydia whispered into her sisters' ear. They let go of one another and it was then that Lydia noticed how quiet everyone was, and why. The moment her eyes landed on her wounded boyfriend her eyes widened to the point where Adelaide thought they'd pop out. "Jackson!"

In an instant she was kneeling next to him, inspecting his face with gentle hands. "What the hell happened?" she turned to stare at everyone around her with accusing eyes, including Adelaide.

Her small smirk and small shrug was all Lydia need to know what happened.

"Oops."

"What the hell Adelaide!" her voice wasn't nearly as furious as she expected it to be, she could even hint a bit of amusement in her bright eyes.

"He just popped out of no where, what'd you expect?" she turned to look at Jackson with a look that was anything but apologetic. "Sorry bro"

Everyone went back to doing what they were doing, which was socializing and drinking something that definitely wasn't juice.

Adelaide was analyzing the people in the room with a critical eye. She'd still yet to receive answers as to why they were here. Most of the people that actually were there were people she thought to be annoying little assholes. She knew it was a surprise party for her arrival; it was pretty obvious with the sign above her head that read _Welcome Back Adelaide!_

She just wanted to know _why _Lydia would do it. They knew how much she hated surprises, and they knew how little she liked the people there.

"So...is anyone going to tell me why my home has been infiltrated by hormonal idiots?"

"It's a party...for you." her sister gave her the biggest smile she could muster; it didn't work. Everything clicked into place as she took in how many people there _really _was. Her arrival was just an excuse to have a end of summer party.

"Right. Just so you know, I'm not going to go out there, socialize, and pretend to like these people. Farewell my lovely sister, I'm not helping you clean." with a fake smile, she grabbed her suitcases and trudged up the stairs. The exhaustion of being stuck in a plane for such a long time came crashing down on her. Suddenly the thought of laying on her soft, comfortable bed sounded like the most wonderful thing in the world.

Only when she opened her door, it wasn't empty like she hoped it would be. If it was any other person, he would've minded, but it was only Alex.

He was laying face down on her queen sized bed, the black duvet surrounding him.

She ran to the bed and jumped on his back. He groaned as he crushed him with his weight.

_Good, _she thought when she heard his pained groan.

"You're a dick." she mumbled into his back as he tried to wiggle her off. After a few more tries he just gave up; she was too stubborn.

"Get off of meeeee" he whined into the pillow.

"Why'd you have to tell Lydia? You knew she'd pull something like this, Alex. You fucking suck, you know how annoying those people are, why would you subject me to that kind of idiocy?" she whined as she nuzzled further into his back. Despite the large amount of muscle he had now, he was very...soft "Why are you so comfortable?" she sighed in content.

"I didn't tell her, she found out. I didn't even know she was doing this until we got here." he shifted until he was on his back and Adelaide still laid on top of him. He wouldn't admit it, but he was pretty damn comfortable himself. "So...are you going to tell me what happened to you in New York?" he felt her tense at his question.

"No" she snapped. She wanted to tell him, she did, but she wasn't ready to talk about it. Not yet.

"Why not?" there was no accusation or sudden hostility in his voice, just curiosity.

"I don't want to talk about it."

He didn't know what it was that made him stop questioning her. Maybe it was the vulnerability in her voice that she never showed, or maybe it was the way she clung to him tighter, as if he'd disappear any moment.

"I really did miss you Addy." he said quietly.

"I missed you to, Alex."

The sound of music and yelling teenagers soon turned into nothing but silence as they fell into a deep slumber in one another's arms.

* * *

When they woke up the next morning it was to the sound of someone calling their names.

"Addy, Alex? Guys, wake up." the person whispered gently. They either didn't know Adelaide hated being woken up, or they just didn't care. "I made breakfast." that woke her up.

"What?" Adelaide's groggy voice sounded through the room. She tried to focus her eyes on one thing, but everything seemed to be blurring together. She decided on keeping one eye closed. The face above her was no longer a blur, but her mother. Her bright green eyes looked down at Adelaide and Alex with a mix of amusement and annoyance.

"Wake up, sweetheart." she cooed gently. She knew from experience not to yell when she woke Adelaide, but she would if needed. It was urgent.

"No." her short reply was met with a small flick to her forehead. "Stop"

A sigh forced its way out of her mother's mouth. "Get ready, Adelaide." she was met with complete silence. "Adelaide!" she yelled.

Her shrill yell not only woke Adelaide, but Alex too. He quickly sat up, looking around for the source of noise.

"Wha-what?" his eyes were unfocused and his hair was a mess. The sound of his husky voice made Adelaide turn to glare at him. She _definitely _wasn't a morning person.

"Yes, mother?" she snapped.

"Get ready." were her final words before she backed out of the room and into the hallway. Despite Adelaide not wanting to actually get up, she didn't want to deal with her mother's wrath.

Before she knew it she was out of the shower and Alex was looking looking for any clothes he might have left in her drawers.

"I practically _live _here! How can I not have any of my clothes in here?" he groaned in annoyance after he looked around for nearly 10 minutes.

"You could always just wear some of my clothes." a smirk came across Adelaide's face as she thought about it, "It wouldn't be the first time" she laughed loudly when he turned to glare at her.

"That was only _one time, _and it will _never _happen again." her booming laughter was on going until he finally found some clothes he could wear to meet with Ms. Martin. "You might want to change into some _actual _clothes, Ads" he said after he took in her towel clad body. Her curly hair was slowly drying and she was looking at one of her suitcases.

"Come on, you know you love looking at my hot body." she winked at him playfully when she passed by him. She opened her suitcase and looked for some clothes to wear. She'd left some in her closet, but those most likely no longer fit her. She'd grown over the summer too; she developed curves.

"Oh, yes! I just can't get enough of your hot body, do me?" he played along with mock awe.

When she finally got some clothes on, she quickly put them on and pulled her hair out of her shirt. With curly hair like hers, it was best if it dried naturally.

"Sorry, hun. You'll have to wait in line." she replied.

Adelaide and her mother had many things in common, one thing being their impatience. She must have been getting annoyed with Adelaide for taking so long, and she didn't need her mother to be angry at her for one more thing. She came to a sudden stop in front of her door. Her mother didn't seem angry when she'd woken her and Alex up; she was completely calm, gentle even.

"Alex, did you tell my mother about me coming back from New York?" her confusion only grew when he shook his head. Another thing Adelaide and her mother shared was their horrible tempers. They were quick to anger and held grudges for long periods of time. It was one of the many reasons they didn't get along as well as they should have.

Instead of dwelling on the subject any longer, they went down the stairs.

* * *

What waited for them in the kitchen was just as surprising as it was confusing.

There, Adelaide's mother stood along with Lydia with large smiles and a large box with something that seemed to be moving. There were wholes on the lid to the box, and it had a large bow on top. Her short stature and confident posture seemed to dominate the room. She always had a powerful presence, she assumed that was where she and Lydia got it from. Her bright green eyes shone with determination, and her short strawberry blonde hair seemed to shimmer in their brightly lit kitchen.

Adelaide looked around the kitchen. Somehow, whenever Lydia threw a party she managed to have it all cleaned up by the morning.

"What's going on?" Adelaide continued to walk into the kitchen with weary footsteps and suspicious eyes.

"If you're expecting me to be angry with you, Adelaide, don't. I'm completely okay with you coming back without telling me." she lied through her teeth and Adelaide knew it. She may not have been angry, but she, just like Adelaide, hated surprises.

"So you're not angry? At all?" Adelaide asked in blatant disbelief.

Her mother sighed and shifted the box on top of her hip. "No, I'm not angry sweetie, I'm just surprised. I didn't know you were coming back until Lydia told me. Which was two days ago. I've had time to take it in." any signs of anger or irritation disappeared.

Lydia, who seemed to be overly excited, tapped her mother's shoulder and gave her a look that Adelaide could only decipher as encouragement.

"Look...-I just-I wanted to give this to you as a Welcome Home present. I know that when you left we weren't on great terms, so consider this my apology." she gave Adelaide that warm smile she missed while in New York, and she returned it with her own uncomfortable one.

"It's fine, mom. It was just a small disagreement. No need to get your panties in a twist." she gave a small laugh as she shifted from one foot to the other. It wasn't just a small disagreement, it was the reason she was in New York, but she wouldn't make her mother feel worse by reminding her. She didn't deal very well with emotion; something that she definitely didn't get from her mother.

"I missed you so much." tears sprang to her mother's eyes as she put the box on the island counter and engulfed Adelaide in her arms. "I'm so sorry, baby"

Adelaide was frozen in her mother's arms, it wasn't until her mother whispered those last words that she hugged her back. Even though they'd left on really bad terms, she'd still missed her. "I missed you too, mom" she whispered.

Someone cleared their throat, and they stepped away from one another. While Adelaide's mother was wiping her tears away, Adelaide stood their awkwardly with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Oh!" her mother exclaimed before she grabbed the box with wholes on the lid and shoved it into her arms, "I hope you like it." she finished with a smile.

Adelaide looked down at the box with confusion. "Is something going to pop out and eat me or something? Because I don't think I'm into that..."

Both Alex and Lydia fixed her with a glare, "Just open it!" they said in unison. Is that what she and Lydia sounded whenever they spoke at the same time? It was creepy.

She opened the lid of the box as slowly and dramatically as she could, but what she saw definitely wasn't what she expected. She expected it to be a chihuahua, or maybe even a bunny...but it wasn't.

It was the one thing she'd always wanted, the same exact one she'd always begged for when she younger. A large smile took over her whole face, lighting up her already bright eyes.

She reached into the box and held the small, all white Siberian Husky in her arms.

* * *

**A/N: This chapter was a bit harder to write, well because Adelaide isn't a mushy person...and I'm not that good at writing mushy things haha. I'd really appreciate it if you guys gave me some feedback, it really makes me happy to know that you like the story haha. You can PM me if you have any questions, or if you just want to talk, that's cool to :D Thank you so much for taking the time and reading (:**

**Oh! And the links to the outfits are on my profile, if you're interested c:**

**xoxo Brii(:**


	3. Adorable To Horrible

**A/N: Thank you guys so much for the follows, favorites, and the reviews! You guys are so sweet and amazing, and I really am thankful that you guys took time out of your day to leave review. They made me so happy, and excited that I started writing right after :D**

**I really hope you guys like this chapter, I'm really excited for your feedback, I worked really hard on making it as good as it can be (: **

**Enjoy c:**

**Chapter 3**

**Mallrats by The Orwells**

**Oh, Death by Jen Titus**

The day after she got her new dog was also the day before school. Her sister somehow got it into her mind that they just _had _to go shopping. There was no way out.

Adelaide needed school supplies, so of course she agreed, but what she didn't think about was how packed it would be. She wasn't claustrophobic, but she wasn't fond of people pushing her to get the _totally hot, new underwear they have on sale at Vickie's. _

She was mulling it over on her way to Alex's house while listening to Nirvana's Something in the Way. She didn't dislike shopping, she loved it as much as the next girl, but she didn't like the people. They aggravated her to no end.

She pulled into Alex's rather large driveway and stepped out of her sisters' dark blue volkswagen beetle she was supposed to get her car by the end of the week. Alex's house was almost as big as her own, the design was modern, yet traditional. It was pretty cozy, and whenever they were there she was always comfortable.

When she was in front of the door she quickly squat down and took the key from under the matt. No one would mind if she were to just walk in, they were used to it by then.

She entered the house as soon as the door opened and made sure to announce her presence.

"Honey, I'm home!"

Soon the sound of tiny footsteps echoed through the house and a little boy appeared in front of her. His blue eyes lightened up as soon as he caught sight of her, and his tiny body immediately crashed into her legs as he hugged them to him.

"Addy!" his small voice yelled out as he tried to clime up her legs. Her smile was wide and her eyes were bright as she looked at the only kid she'd ever loved. The only kid she actually liked.

"Hey little guy, did you miss me?" she chuckled as she reached towards him and settled him on her hip. His chubby cheeks were stretched into a wide smile as he looked up at her with adoration. He'd grown so much; the last time she'd seen him he was much smaller and his cheeks were chubbier. He didn't have the lisp he usually did when he called her name.

At the nickname his large smile turned into a cute scowl that reminded her so much of Alex she almost burst out into laughter.

"I'm not little anymore Addy, I'm-" he paused as his eyebrows creased in thought, overall he looked absolutely adorable. He was counting on his chubby little fingers, and when he finally finished he held up his hand, making sure he had all 5 fingers up. "-this many!"

"Wow! You're all grown up now, you know what this means, don't you?" she whispered dramatically as she lowered her head. His big, innocent eyes widened as he brought his own face closer.

"What?" he whispered excitedly. His sandy brown hair, identical to Alex's, brushed against her forehead as they talked to each other as if they were exchanging secrets.

"It means you can finally eat from the cookie jar" his bright blue eyes and the smile one his face widened simultaneously, and she felt a small ounce of warmth flutter in her cold heart as she looked down at the little boy she treated as her own little brother.

"Really?" he clapped his hands excitedly. The cookie jar was a jar of chocolate chip cookies she had in her kitchen, and whenever he'd go over she would tell him he couldn't eat from the cookie jar until he was all grown up. Of course, she needed to restock, but she was completely fine with it. "You're the best, Addy!"

"Hey, what about me?" a deep voice sounded from the top of the stairs. Alex stood there with his sandy hair in its usual mess and his blue eyes twinkling. Jake was the mini Alex.

"Please, you could never be as awesome as I am. Isn't that right Jakey?" she looked down at the blue eyed boy; his own eyes twinkled in mischief.

"Yeah, Addy is waaay better than you. She's even letting me take cookies out of the cookie jar." he looked at his older brother with a triumphant grin; even Alex wasn't allowed to take cookies out of Adelaide's cookie jar.

Alex looked at them with mock shock and betrayal, but Adelaide could see the amusement in his blue eyes. He hurried down the stairs and took Jake from her arms.

Adelaide couldn't help but laugh at the image before her. Jake was withering beneath his older brothers' larger form, squeals of laughter coming out of him as Alex tickled him into submission.

"Okay, okay! You're the best! You're awesomer!" his shrill voice screamed out. Alex's tickle attack stopped short as he looked at Adelaide with the same triumphant grin his younger brother had just seconds before.

Yep, Jake was definitely a mini Alex.

"That's what I thought"

* * *

After Alex had to basically drag Adelaide away from her 'baby', as she claimed Jake to be, they had gotten in Lydia's small beetle and headed towards the mall. They were pretty hard to separate.

"So, why am I going again?" he asked as they listened to one of Alex's favorite bands; Arctic Monkeys.

"Because, according to Lydia, your fashion sense is better than mine" she rolled her eyes as she thought back on her sister's words.

_"I will not have my twin walking around school looking like some homeless teenager, besides, Alex's fashion sense is way better than yours. He's coming."__  
_

"She's totally right, by the way." he glanced at her with a small smirk on his face.

"Please, you love my clothes, and you know it. I mean, you've even wore them before. That says a lot, sweetie" she retaliated with a fake, sweet smile on her face.

They'd tried to find parking in the parking lot in front of one of Alex's favorite stores, but it was completely packed, and Adelaide didn't have enough patience to wait for someone to leave. So instead of she chose to park on the opposite side, where it was less occupied. She'd already dropped Lydia off, so she was most likely waiting in Macy's.

"Come on, let's get this shit over with." she slid her ray bans over her eyes when they got out of the car. The sun was particularly strong that day, yet they were supposed to have a storm coming their way. California was obviously bipolar.

Her short, black denim shorts, thing white t-shirt and black converse high tops weren't enough to keep her cool. She thought if she wore less, the wind would be enough to keep her cool; she was wrong. The wind was hot, sticky, and definitely not good for her already heated skin.

They walked into the store nearest to where they had parked; Target, just what she needed. She needed to get some school supplies. She was pretty sure a lot of the things that were on sale were gone, but she didn't mind, she had enough money to not worry about what she was spending it on.

"I need to get some notebooks and stuff, are you coming with, or do you need to get your own things?" she asked.

"I'll just go with you."

After getting her school supplies and a couple of face masks, and face wash, she paid for everything with her debit card and they went to find Lydia.

By the time they'd gotten to her Alex had a few shopping bags in his hands, and Adelaide had a lot of new perfumes, lotions, and undergarments she'd picked up from Victoria's Secret. It was packed, but worth it.

Lydia, as always, was dressed to perfection. A cute navy blue summer dress with white polkadots and spaghetti straps paired with sheer, black tights and her favorite brown suede booties with high heals. It was cute, but they were just shopping.

Her sister glanced down at her high tops disapprovingly, but Adelaide could care less. She was _not _going to wear heals to the _mall._

Adelaide found herself standing in front of one of her favorite stores; Spencers. She didn't much like their clothing, but everything else they had was pretty cool. The posters, the decorations, the lingerie was pretty cute too, but most of all, what they had all the way in the back. It was absolutely hilarious, to her anyway, that they carried books that gave advice on sex. They had other stuff in there too, like edible underwear, things like that.

Alex, of course, loved the store. Lydia, on the other hand, hated it. They never played music to her liking, and they didn't have clothes that she liked.

"Come on, Lydia, stop being such a little brat!" her sister was being difficult, she didn't want to go into Spencers, she wanted to go into Juicy Couture. "You know what? I don't care. I'm going into Spencers, and if you don't want to come in with me, I don't care." she started to the store, counting the seconds for Lydia to fall into her trap; it took 3.

She felt her hand clamp down on her wrist and smirked when she agreed to go in with her. She and her sister would never admit it, but they were dependent on one another. It's said that twins were very dependent on one another; in their case, it was true.

The first thing she noticed was the song playing through out the store. It was one of her favorites by Pixies.

She found herself singing along to the music as she and Alex looked at the posters.

"Ohhh, he's hot." Alex exclaimed suddenly. Both Adelaide and Lydia perked up at the words. Lydia may have been with Jackson, but she was aloud to appreciate, and Adelaide...well she was just curious. "I definitely wouldn't mind if he tickled my pickle." Alex added with a playful smirk on his face.

Adelaide let out a bark of laughter when he heard his last words, but it immediately died in her throat when she caught sight of the guy he was talking about. Lydia too had stared at him.

Adelaide was hardly ever flustered, or turned on, just because a guy was extremely hot. It took a lot to impress her; she was picky, but even she had to admit she was more then impressed with this guy. His medium length black hair, sun kissed skin, bright blue eyes, and perfectly toned body, impressed her greatly. His muscle tank allowed them to see the intricate tattoo running down the whole length of his arm.

Suddenly, his eyes landed on them, he caught them staring, and while Lydia and Alex quickly turned away, Adelaide stayed. Instead of glaring at them, or saying something completely idiotic, he smirked. They'd clearly buffed his ego. Adelaide stayed in place with a small smirk on her face, her own blue/gray eyes glinting with challenge. She lifted her hand and gave a two finger wave, and to his extreme surprise, it turned into an obscene gesture; the one finger salute. His eyes widened before he laughed, winked, and walked away.

Adelaide felt a small thump on the back of her head and turned to glare at the person who did it; Alex.

"What the hell was that?" he asked with raised eyebrows. She retaliated by thumping him on the head, and that was how they went for 2 minutes. Constantly hitting one another on the head, until Lydia stopped them.

"If you guys don't stop right now, I will make you listen to Justin Bieber the whole way home." her sweet smile contradicted her words greatly, and they found themselves stopping. "So...what was that?" Lydia asked.

"What was what?" Adelaide replied with boredom lacing her tone. She walked up to a particular poster that caught her eye. It was a little kid with sun glasses on, giving the world the one finger salute. She grinned and took the poster; she was definitely buying it.

"You know what, Ads, don't play dumb. It's not cute." she replied. Her eyes traveled to the poster in her twin's hand and her haughty expression was replaced by one of amusement.

"Nope, that's all you, Lyd." Adelaide commented. Since she and Jackson started dating, Lydia seemed to dumb herself down in his presence; like she was trying to make him think he was smarter than her, which he wasn't. Like at all.

She received a glare in return along with a thump to her head by her lovely sister.

"Um, ow!"

* * *

They'd finally left the mall after 5 hours of shopping. Adelaide ended up getting a whole new wardrobe, along with a mani-pedi. It was 6 o'clock when Lydia and Adelaide finally got home, they'd dropped Alex off at home. The sun was slowly setting, and the once blistering heat turned into a fresh, cool breeze.

"Did you have fun?" Lydia asked with a grin on her face as they took their things out of her small car.

Adelaide nodded with a small smile on her face. "Yeah, I haven't been shopping like that in ages" although she wasn't a fan of the people that constantly pushed by her at the mall, or how stuffy it was, she loved shopping as much as the next girl.

Lydia looked at her sister with glimmering eyes. "You know I love you, right?" she knew her sister better than anyone, even Alex, and she knew from the moment she saw her that something was different about her. Something not good. "And I'm always here for you, Addy, no matter what."

Adelaide looked at her with surprise, "Of course I know-" she looked down at her sister with furrowed brows, "What brought this on?"

"It's just...-I know something's wrong. I can feel it, something's different about you, and I wanted you to know that if you ever needed to talk...well-I'm here." with that, she brought Adelaide to her in a tight hug.

Adelaide froze for a moment before she returned the hug with a bit of hesitance, until she relaxed and clung onto her with the same amount of enthusiasm.

"So am I." she finished.

There they stood, two sisters clinging onto one another simply because they loved one another.

* * *

After their little hugging session, the twins took their things up to their rooms and organized everything for the next day at school.

"Hey, buddy" Adelaide said once she entered her room. Her new pure white Siberian husky was in front of her, wagging his tail and looking up at her with his big blue eyes that she absolutely loved.

It was already about 8 o'clock pm, but she was feeling a bit restless. A bit after she'd finished putting everything away, she started to fidget. She was pacing the length of her large room, until she finally had enough. She decided to go out for a run through the Beacon Hill preserve.

She felt a small pressure build on her left temple, but she ignored it. She quickly put on her sports bra, a white tank top, and her black yoga pants. She was ready to go.

She hurried down the stairs, her unnamed dog following after her.

"Adelaide? Is that you?" she heard her mother call from the kitchen. How she heard her from such a long distance was beyond her.

"Yeah, what's up?" she asked as she entered the brightly lit kitchen. There her mother stood with a fancy business suit and conflicted expression. She laughed uncomfortably as her mother stared at her intensely. "Seriously, what's going on?"

"I know you just got here, but-" she bit her lip as Adelaide looked at her with expectant eyes. "They called me into Milan, they need me there as soon as possible. I'm leaving. I'm going to be gone for about 3 weeks, maybe more, but-"

Adelaide cut her off with hardened eyes, and fake smile. "That's great, have fun." that was when she noticed the luggage at her mother's side. She'd already packed.

"Adelaide, I-"

Once again, Adelaide didn't let her finish her sentence. She didn't need an excuse, she didn't want one. "Seriously, it's fine. I didn't expect anything else from you, Mother." she added.

"I-"

"Well...-I gotta go. I was gonna go out for a run. Just call when you leave or something." she jogged back to the front door; her mother completely out of sight. With a small shake of her head and a sigh of indignation, she left through the front door and started to jog into the Preserve of Beacon Hills.

* * *

Music consumed her being as her feet moved with the beat that sounded through her ears.

Her feet pounded on the dead leaves and wet soil. 30 minutes had passed since she started; her calves were beginning to burn, and her breathing was much faster. Years of sports, and staying active gave her stamina, but she hadn't ran like this in months. Each step drove her deeper into the woods, deeper into the darkness, but she couldn't find it in herself to mind. She knew those woods like the back of her hand.

Her mother's departure was something she was used to, ever since her father left, but it didn't make the disappointment go away every time she heard the words.

_I'm leaving. _

The cold air nipped at her bare shoulders and calves, but she didn't mind, the cold air was welcomed, she relished in it. Her high ponytail was swinging with each movement she made, and the music sounding through her ear buds seemed to get louder and louder, until she was completely consumed in it. Her thoughts drifted, and her body lost some of its stiff posture.

She didn't notice which direction she was headed until she found herself in front of the lake. It was the only place where she could be alone. The only place where she wouldn't be bothered. It was beautiful; it was in the middle of a clearing with beautiful flowers growing out of the grass. The moon hung high in the sky.

The Dead Weather's 60 Feet Tall was playing as she craned her neck to get rid of some more tension. She started to stretch her legs a bit, and took out her earphones to prevent them from falling into the wet soil. She let out a breath through her parted lips to try and calm her rapid heartbeat. The work out had been good, she hadn't done it in a while.

Suddenly she heard the sound of rustling leaves coming from behind her, and she snapped her head to the side. Once again, she heard the tell tale sign that someone, or something, was there. A twig snapped, and her indifference soon turned to suspicion. The darkness made it harder to see much, but the moon helped her navigate through the small clearing.

She tried to ignore the sounds that came from, presumably, the small animals that were usually in the Beacon Hill Preserve by putting on her earbuds and turning the volume up full blast and starting to run once again.

Her run was going well, until her foot got caught in something wet, and squishy. Her body tumbled down onto the same exact substance, only she knew what it was. The smell was horribly familiar, and was now all over her body.

Blood.

Her mind was running with possible scenarios, but she tried not to let dangerous thoughts overtake her. Her brows furrowed when she lifted her wet hand to her face. As soon as she caught sight of the blood, she found herself looking closer. There was something else there. Something thicker, stringy almost.

Disgust ran through her whole entire body when she figured out what it was; intestines. But it was soon replaced with dread. She dreaded the thought that it may not have been _just _an animal. She didn't want to turn her head to see what it was. But she did anyway.

A gasp tore its way out of her throat and a lump formed soon after. There was blood _everywhere, _including on herself. She was laying in a pool of blood. The realization tore through her, and she felt a mixture of disgust and terror. She squinted as she caught sight of a necklace, and when she looked up she saw something worse. Something that would plague her dreams with everything else.

The bottom half of a woman's body lay there showered with blood and guts.

A loud, shrill scream echoed throughout the Beacon Hills Preserve.

* * *

**So, did you like it? I'd really like it if you guys gave me some feedback on this...I'm actually really nervous for the reaction haha. Thank you so much for reading, and it would mean so much to me if you gave me some feedback. You can leave a review or PM me if you have any questions (: **

**Also, outfits are up on my profile if you're interested! (: **

**xoxo Brii(:**


	4. The Walking Corpse

**I'm so sorry, but I had to edit this chapter D: I don't know why, I thought it was sort of bad and I wasn't very satisfied with it...sorry.**

**Thank you so much to those who reviewed and followed, and you're just amazing ;D And Guest reviewers, I'm so sorry that I couldn't respond to your review, I really wish I could, you were all so sweet (: The next chapter will be a lot easier to write, and hopefully I'll get it in soon. With Spring Break coming up, I'll have a lot more time to write, and will maybe update 2 chapters :D Thanks again! **

**Also, outfits are on my profile if you're interested! (:**

**Chapter 4**

**Paradise Circus by Massive Attack**

Nothing could compare to the amount of relief the flowed through her body when she found her phone in the mass amounts of dead leaves. After the shock of finding half of a dead body flowed out of her mind, self-preservation set in. She needed to get out of there; she needed to call the police, and get the _fuck_ out. The blood looked fresh, the killer was still out there. It was still _there. _She could feel it. Whatever _it _was.

With shaky hands she dialed 9-1-1 and pressed the phone to her ear.

"911, what's your emergency?" a voice spoke calmly into the phone. Why was she so calm, there was no reason to be calm. There was a disgusting, half body at her feet.

"I-I'm in Beacon Hills Preserve...-I found a body. Ther-there's a lot of blood...-it's fresh" she exclaimed shakily. Her usual strong, firm voice was scratchy, shrill, and even a little hysterical.

"Sweetie, I need you to calm down, okay? Tell me where you are." she was still calm, but there was something else in her voice; urgency.

"I'm near the lake, the-the one by the cliff." the blood on her hands were making the hold she had on her phone slip slightly, and she found they were still shaking.

"Okay, _stay there. _I need you to stay there, do you think you can do that?" she asked in a gentle voice.

"You do realize how stupid you sound, right?" Possible scenarios sped through her mind like a hurricane, and she couldn't help but snap at the officer. "Whatever killed this...person, could still be here, if you think I'm going to risk _my_ life and wait for the police to get here like some horror movie bimbo, you're seriously out of your _fucking mind_." her hands were still shaking, her knees were wobbly, and her voice was thick with fear and anger. The dangerous combination was causing her mind to go haywire. She suddenly didn't care if she was speaking to an officer. The blood on her hands, the body, the police, the paranoia that surfaced in her mind was becoming all too familiar.

"I know you're afraid, but you have to understand, if you leave, you could be in even more danger. Just stay where you are, the Sheriff and state police are on their way, they'll be there in a few seconds. Stay where you are." then she hung up. Just like that, as if she hadn't left a teenager with a body - half of a body - that was mangled, bloody, and recently torn apart.

Adelaide stared at her iPhone in outrage. The black screen on her phone allowed her to see her reflection; blood was smeared on the screen, making it look like it was on her face, making her disgust all more apparent. Her grey/blue eyes stared back at her with anger and an ounce of fear. Fear that maybe, just maybe, the killer was still out there, and might want to kill her too. Those that were supposed to 'protect' the citizens of Beacon Hills, which she was, hung up one her, told her to _wait. _

"That bitch" she whispered to herself. She tried to unlock her phone, but her fingers were slippery with blood. Her hands were clumsy, shaky even, and they were refusing to cooperate with her. So she tried again, and again, and again. A small shout forced its way out of her mouth when the frustration became to much. Why couldn't she just do _one simple thing_!? Anger was quickly overriding any other emotions; she was angry that she couldn't do something as small as unlocking her phone, angry at the deputy that hung up on her, angry that she just _had _to go out on a jog in the Beacon Hills Preserve, and find a body. Why couldn't it be someone else? Why did it have to be her. "Great, just fucking great." she groaned. Now she had to stand there and wait for those good for nothing officers to come and get her.

She was finally able to open her phone with much difficulty.

3 Messages

3 Missed Calls

_Mom: I tried to call you, but you wouldn't answer. I left. Please be responsible, don't do anything stupid. -Mom 8:30_

_Asshole Bestfriend: Are you as nervous as I am for tomorrow? I'm totally nervous. Like really nervous...what if no body likes me...well, at least I'm out of that stupid private school that was stupid and...stupid. 8:53_

_Asshole Twin: I went to Jackson's house, there's some fettuccine in the fridge, mother left, and I fed your dog. You're Welcome btw. Love you, Lydia. 9:00_

She licked her chapped lips and put her phone back in her pocket and started pacing. She needed to figure something out; maybe she could leave, just run back home. No, she couldn't. She should call them, that's what she thought she should have done, but she couldn't. She couldn't call them; it was bad enough she was in danger of being torn apart by some animal, she wouldn't risk her sister or her best friend's life.

Her hair found its way out of her high pony tail and she ran her hands though them, only to remember that they were covered in blood and entrails. She closed her eyes tightly as her stomach churned violently. That was definitely going to be hard to clean out.

_Music. Yeah, music'll help, _she thought. She took out her phone and plugged in her earphones once again. She ignored the blood smeared on her phone, and tried to distract herself with Bradley Nowell's oddly soothing voice.

_In, and out. In, and out, _she coached herself. Her eyes closed as she took deep breaths thinking it would help calm her. It didn't. If anything, it made the situation worse. The familiar, coppery sent of blood wafted through her nose and made her stomach lurch once again. God, it smelled disgusting.

She turned her back on the gruesome scene to avoid staring at the trail of guts around the 'half body'. The music helped dull her hearing, but that was it. Her sight was still perfectly in touch. Her eyes found something shinning in the dark night on the grass. It was the necklace she saw before she'd seen the body. More of a pendant, really. A small crease between her eyebrows formed as she walked forward. The closer she got the more apparent it became that it was very beautiful, even with the bit of dark blood that was smeared on it. A silver chain with a stone that had a symbol she couldn't quite make out was carved into it. She reached out for it with her trembling, bloodied hand, but she hesitated when her fingers were about to curl around the pendant. The spirals connected at one point; she knew what the symbol was called, but it could stand for so many things.

Should she really take that belonged to a recently killed woman, just to satisfy her own curiosity? It was wrong, on so many levels. So, so wrong...but no one would miss it...

She took the pendant and stored it in her sports bra.

Music was playing softly out of her earbuds, but she was still able to hear the sound she'd been waiting for since she called the police. Sirens.

She let out a shaky breath and closed her eyes. Finally, they were there. She could finally get the hell away from the body that was only 2 ft away, she could finally escape the familiar smell of blood and rotting flesh. Flies were, well-_flying _around the body, only adding to her disgust.

Taking out the earbuds from her ears, she smoothed down her, now bloodied, tank top with shaky hands. She was covered, from head to toe, with blood and guts, but she forced the thought out of her mind and waited for the sheriff to get there with her head held high.

The sirens stopped at a place near her, and she heard thundering footsteps heading towards her.

"Excuse me!" she called out to get their attention. They seemed to have heard her. Their footsteps were closer, louder, and in no time about 10 deputies stood in front of her. Although most were surveying the scene, there was one man that looked over at her with concern.

From the badge on his jacket, she could see that he was the Sheriff of Beacon Hills.

"What's your name, sweetheart?" he walked to her with weary steps, like he was approaching a wild animal.

"Adelaide" she answered shortly before adding "Can I go home now?" she heard her own voice waver slightly and she cursed herself for it. "I have school tomorrow-"

"I know you want to go home, hell I do too, but you need to stay with us. If you go now, you could be attacked just as viciously as this poor girl was." his eyes were filled with concern for her safety, and she would have been touched by it had she not been waiting there for about 20 minutes. She really didn't want to walk around the Preserve to find the other half of the body.

"Bu-" she was, once again, cut off. Her mouth clamped shut, and her jaw clenched in anger. Why did he have to keep _interrupting _her?

"No buts, if you go back home, alone, there would be no way to protect yourself against whatever did this. We have guns, we can protect you." he smiled warmly, but she glowered with an angry pout on her face. He was right.

"Fine." she continued strongly, "On one condition." he looked down at her with questioning eyes, and slowly nodded. "You wont call my mother."

His expression went from confused to surprised in a matter of seconds, "I'm sorry, but I can't do that."

She figured he'd say something like that, so she came up with something else. "I'm assuming you need her permission to question me?" When he nodded, she continued. "She wont let you within a 5 foot radius of me if it meant that I would have to be involved in any kind of legal investigation. She's very stubborn, and very persuasive. So, if you want to question me, and avoid any kind of trouble, then you probably _shouldn't _call my mother." Most of it was true, so she wasn't technically lying.

His hesitance was clear by the way his brows furrowed and a small grimace formed on his face, but eventually he agreed. "Deal."

So she walked around aside the police force for about 20 minutes. Her eyes were look straight ahead of her, yet the crease between her brows showed she was in deep thought. It definitely wasn't the first corpse she'd seen, but it was still disturbing.

Flashes of wild adventures, guns, blood, and heartache flashed in her mind. She closed her eyes and shook her head to rid herself of the images.

"You alright there?" she heard the Sheriff ask. Her gray eyes snapped open to meet his blue ones and she found the same look of concern he had when he first spoke to her. It was then that she realized how familiar he looked. She didn't usually socialize herself with authority figures, but she was sure that she'd met him before.

"I'm fine." she replied. She brushed a strand of her strawberry blonde hair. The tips of it were caked with blood, but she couldn't let herself think of it. "Are we almost done?"

"If we don't make anymore progress in the next hour, I'll take you home and come back. We already have forensics back at the crime scene." he replied as they walked through the dark woods. "You said your name was Adelaide?" he added, probably to distract her.

She didn't mind him trying to keep the conversation going, she needed something else to focus on, something other than her uneven heartbeat, shaky hands, and wandering mind.

"Yup, Adelaide Martin" she answered. She felt sticky, and dirty. Her hair was matted with dirt, her upper body was covered in blood and her yoga pants had dead maggots scattered around along with dirt. She felt disgusting.

"Martin?" he paused with raised eyebrows, "As in Caroline Martin?"

Her head snapped to look at the older man with surprise written across her features. Suspicion forced its way into her mind, "You know my mother?" they suddenly came to a stop when the dogs caught a scent.

"Well, we went to to high school together. You're right, she's pretty stubborn" he answered with a small grin before opening his mouth to continue. The dogs started to bark wildly, pushing him to take out his gun and cut himself off. She flinched when the gun came out, but relaxed when he put it away. She couldn't see anything, but apparently, the Sheriff could. He shook his head and closed his eyes, and she recognized the look on his face as one that her teachers' often wore around her. "Great." he whispered.

"What?" her question went unanswered. Instead he went forward and grabbed the collar of a guy that looked to be about her age. He let out a loud yelp, and all flashlights turned to him.

"Hang on, hang on!" the Sheriff yelled out, "This little delinquent belongs to me." he muttered angrily. Adelaide stood back, watching the scene unfold before her with curiosity. His lanky stature, short hair, and pale skin was all she could really make out in the darkness.

"H-hey dad, how's it goin'?" he was to caught up in getting caught to notice Adelaide standing behind his father.

"Do you listen in on all my phone calls?" he asked roughly as he glowered at his son. The lanky boy shrank back from his father's angry gaze.

He scoffed, "Wh-No." the Sheriff gave him a pointed look, "Not the boring ones." he added as he put his arms on his hips.

Adelaide let out a small scoff that they were oblivious to; he was funny. She still stood there, waiting for one of them to finally realize that she was waiting there, hoping to go home soon.

"So where's your usual partner in crime?"

"Who? Scott?" he laughed, as if the thought itself was absolutely absurd. "He's at home...-said he wanted to catch up on his sleep. It's just me. Out in the woods. Alone."

"Scott!?" the Sheriff called out as he grabbed his son from the collar of his shirt, completely ignoring his son's denial. "You out there?!"

He received no response.

"Told you" his son said with a smug smile. He either didn't notice that his father was holding him by the collar to keep him in place, or he didn't care.

When the Sheriff started to drag him away, he seemed to be caught by surprise. His arms flew out in surprise and his mouth hung open in protest.

"_We- _are going to have a little talk about invasion of privacy." the Sheriff exclaimed as he pushed his son further ahead of him.

Adelaide's eyes widened as she saw him walk further and further away from her. Did he seriously just forget about her?

"Hellooo!" she called out, and immediately regretted it after. They both turned to her, the Sheriff looked apologetic, but his son...he looked like he was about to be sick.

His eyes were wide, and his movements were completely halted, only a small twitch of his fingers indicated that he wasn't completely frozen. At first, she didn't know why he looked so...appalled at her sudden appearance, but then she understood. She looked like a walking corpse. A shimmer of uncertainty showed in her eyes until it was quickly replaced with a mask of annoyance.

"What? Never seen a girl covered in blood before?" Her bloodied hands maneuvered themselves onto her hips and his wide eyes followed the movement. She bit her lip harshly and looked at him with hard eyes, "Okay, seriously, your staring is starting to get really creepy, really fast, and I _highly _suggest you stop"

"Oh my-" he snapped out of it and his hand immediately went to cover his mouth. A gagging sound came out of his mouth and he closed his eyes tightly. "Is tha-is that blood?" He let one eye open and immediately closed it after, "Yep. That-that's blood. Oh god, I'm gonna be sick"

"Don't be such a pansy, it's just a little blood." she rolled her bright eyes. He wasn't the one that found half a body.

"A-a little?" his wide eyes looked at her in disbelief, "You're literally _covered _in blood. Completely. Like, all over." he waved his hand frantically over the length of her petite body, "That's-that's just unsanitary."

"Stiles" the Sheriff scolded, but his warning went ignored.

Her eyes narrowed into slits, and she took a challenging step toward him.

His eyes snapped open and he stumbled back with each step she took. "Wha-what are you doing?!"

She walked closer, and closer, until he was backed up against a tree and she was only a few inches away from him. "C'mon, it's just a little bit of blood." she whispered and leaned closer. "Scared of a little blood?"

"N-no...I just - I don't want the-the smell of blood to transfer onto my-my clothes." he rushed out as he leaned further back into the tree.

She reached out and pat his nose. She chuckled a bit at his immediate reaction.

He sidestepped the tree and scurried away from her with a high pitched yelp, falling on his ass in the process. "Holy sh-"

"Stiles" the Sheriff exclaimed with a sigh; Stiles had landed right at his feet.

"D-dad, hey." he gave a small, awkward smile, which looked more like a grimace, and clumsily got on his feet.

Adelaide was chuckling quietly next to them, Stiles was glaring at her, and the Sheriff looked pretty damn frustrated.

"Adelaide, sweetheart, _Stiles-" _he clapped a large hand on his sons' shoulder, "-here is going to give you a ride home, okay?" he talked to her in such a gentle manner, so warm, so caring, it was different.

"Thanks, Sheriff." she thanked him with a small smile.

"A-Adelaide? As in Martin? As in-as in Adelaide Martin?" Stiles stumbled over his words, his mouth open in surprise. Not for the first time that night, he stared at her.

"That's my name, don't wear it out." she muttered. She was a bit annoyed with how he kept staring at her. It was one thing to be stared at with jealousy, admiration, or even hate at school, but it was another to have someone stare at you like they were trying to figure you out; completely irritating and unnecessary.

"I-you-I mean...-you're Lydia Martin's twin sister." his voice was filled with awe, and some sort of...hope.

"In the flesh." she replied shortly. "Now, why don't you stop stuttering and fumbling, and take me home. I'm not exactly comfortable with all this blood and guts sticking to me." When she got home, she was going to take the longest shower ever, then she was going to have herself the best sleep ever, or not.

"Oh-ew. That's..." he pulled a face, "-that's disgusting."

"You're not the one that has it all over you." she sneered.

Just as he was about to reply, his father stepped in and separated them

"Alright, you two, enough. Adelaide needs to get home, Stiles, you're taking her. Adelaide, sweetheart, try to stay out of the woods at night, okay?" his hands rested on her and Stiles' shoulders, effectively stopping them from bantering any longer. They'd only known each other for 15 minutes, and already they didn't like one another. "I'll walk you both to Stiles' car."

Stiles halted, "You mean...-she has to sit in my car?" he whispered out, like it was some sort of crime against nature.

"Yes, Stiles, that's generally what happens when you give someone a ride." the Sheriff replied sarcastically. Adelaide almost laughed. Almost.

"Bu-she'll get blood all over my seats..." he seemed genuinely concerned about it, which only served to make Adelaide's eyes turn icy. Couldn't he find it in his awkward little heart to take her home, and away from that fucking half body?

"Are you kidding me? I just found a dead body, half actually, I walked around with the Sheriff for about 30 minutes, in a fucking _tank top, _that's wet with blood, by the way, and thin yoga pants, it's cold as shit. It's going to start raining any fucking minute now, and you're worried about your _seats_?" she finally snapped. She wasn't a patient person, even she could admit that, and her temper was starting to flare. "If you don't want to take me home, that's fine. I'll walk home, but just remember...if I die, it's all on you. _Buddy._"

He looked positively terrified to have been snapped at by her. While she was relatively small, she was extremely intimidating.."I-" he started, but he couldn't seem to finish his sentence. "No." he muttered quietly, "Let's go, I'll take you home." he finished without stuttering. _  
_

She breathed out a small sigh of relief, "Thank you." she turned to the Sheriff to thank him too, thank him for not being a total dick like all the other cops she'd dealt with, but he was already there, right in front of them. He was looking at them with a small, amused smile on his face. "Uh-thanks Sheriff."

He snapped out of whatever daze he was in and smiled warmly, "It's no problem, sweetheart." he rested a hand on her shoulder, "Stay out of the woods at night, okay?"

"Got it." she gave a feeble attempt at her signature smirk, but judging by the look of sympathy on his face, it didn't work.

"Get her home, Stiles. We'll talk when you get home." he gave his son a stern nod, and all color drained from the already pale boys' face.

"Yeah...-uh-got it." he gave an awkward salute, and told Adelaide to follow him to his jeep.

Adelaide, of course, being the difficult person that she is, did the exact opposite. She tried to lead herself to his car, like she knew where it was.

"It's that way." Stiles exclaimed with a nod of his head towards the exact opposite direction. A smug smile lit his face as she turned and went that way. She, of course, led the way.

"I knew that." she grumbled.

* * *

After Stiles put some sort of barrier between Adelaide and his seats, they got into his CJ-5 Jeep, which Adelaide actually liked, and he started driving in the general direction of her house.

His long fingers tapped against his steering wheel restlessly, and the car was completely quiet. No music, no conversation, nothing. Adelaide could basically _feel _the awkward coming off of him in waves. Her own knee was bouncing at the urge to start some sort of conversation. She needed a distraction.

Luckily, Stiles provided that distraction with flying colors. "So...you're the one that found the body..." he trailed off and sent a probing look her way. She rolled her eyes, but took the bait.

"Yeah, and you're the idiot that went looking for the other half." she heard him scoff loudly and turned to look at him with raised eyebrows. "What?"

"Your sister is way nicer." it was her turn to scoff. He didn't even know her, how the hell would he know if she was nice or not?

"And how would _you _know?" she leaned back further into the warm blanket he put on her seat and turned to look at him with knowing eyes.

"I-" he stopped for a moment, his mouth was still open, but by the crease between his brows, either he didn't know, or he totally stalked her and just didn't want to admit it. "I just do." he grumbled lowly. After that, he didn't try to make anymore conversation.

She groaned loudly. "Don't you have any music? I mean, if you're gonna stay quiet the whole, at least let there be music."

"You know, for someone that just found a dead body you don't seem all that...traumatized." he looked over to her with curiosity. She ignored him.

"We're almost there." he added.

She looked out of the windows and sure enough, they were just a block away from her house. Her eyebrows furrowed before they raised, "And how would you know _that_?"

His spine straightened almost immediately, and he started to fumble over his own words. "I-uh-I mean...I pass by here a lot, you know? To-uh-to get to school and stuff." he looked at her from the corner of his eyes, but looked back quickly after her gaze shifted back to him.

"Really?" her tone was amused, and he could hear the smirk on her face.

His fingers tapped faster on his steering wheel with each passing moment, his nerves getting the best of him, "Yep. That's the reason, yes."

"If you say so." she chuckled lowly as they stopped in front of her house, more like a mansion really. "See ya later, Twitch." she moved to get out of the car, but was stopped by Stiles himself. His hand flew to her wrist to stop her, making her tense. An electric shock marveled between their touching skin, making them jump back.

"I-sorry...it's just... It's going to start storming pretty soon...and it doesn't really look like anyone's home...be careful" he gestured to the empty driveway and dark house.

She gave him a small grin, but her eyes held a different story. "I'm a big girl, I think I could handle a bit of rain." she got out, and hastily walked towards her house.

Stiles drove away and whispered to himself, "Twitch?"

* * *

Adelaide stepped onto her front porch, trembling. It started raining about 2 seconds after Stiles drove off, and the cold air nipped at her exposed skin violently, thankfully the roof of her porch protected her from the harsh rain. She took her key out of her bra and opened the door to her house. The darkness enveloped her completely, and she hurriedly turned the light on.

The night ran through her mind over, and over again. The body, the blood, the guts, the insects, the pendant, everything. The way her hands slipped when she tried to log into her phone because of the blood that covered them. The feeling of blood and soil mixing on her arms, and the feeling of absolute horror and disgust that ran through her body stayed in her mind. The all to familiar smell of rotting flesh, that stuck with her still, made her want to vomit.

She quickly made her way to her bathroom, opened the door, ran to the toilet and heaved. Her throat was burning, and the bile that had formed at the bottom of her throat long ago forced itself out. The disgusting taste of vomit, and the lack of oxygen made her eyes redden and her cheeks feel like they were on fire.

Her stomach was emptied into the porcelain bowl and she slumped, waiting for more. Her heavy pants quickened as she saw it again, and again, and again; the bile rose, but it never came out. A small whimper forced its way out of her mouth.

It wasn't just the body that bothered her, it was the memories. The memories of death. The memories that she tried so hard to make disappear, to make go away and never come back. But finding that body was just a reminder. A reminder that death was everywhere. It followed her everywhere.

Her eyes closed tightly, and she clenched her jaw. She wouldn't cry. She wouldn't. She let out a shaky breath and opened her eyes. The tears that were trying to form, didn't. She pushed everything back down, down into a little box of memories, emotions, secrets that she held close to her. She pushed it all down and began to undress.

Her bloody shirt was a bit more difficult to take off because it stuck to her skin along with the blood, along with her sports bra. When she slipped them off, the pendant fell out and hit the floor but she couldn't find it in herself care about it. Her yoga pants were next; she practically ripped them off with disgust.

When she turned the water on, she jumped in. The scalding water brought immense relief to her dirty body. She relaxed under the soothing heat, and let her head fall under the spray. Blood dripped off her hair, glided down her body, and swirled into the drain.

She scrubbed her skin until it turned pink, washed her hair out until it was completely rid of any dirt, oil, or blood, got out, took the black towel from her towel rack, and pat herself dry.

She looked into the larger mirror in her bathroom and gave a sight of relief. Any and all evidence of her horrendous night was washed away. _Good, _she thought, _I don't need any reminders. _

She dropped her towel and looked at her naked body. She was a confident girl, something her mother taught her to always be. The only thing she didn't like about her body was her scar. Alex told her it was a reminder that she was a survivor. She saw it as a reminder of a failure. She scowled at the long, puckered, line. It started at the bottom of her rib cage and ended at her hip. She put the towel back around her body, picked up her phone and turned it on.

_Asshole Bestfriend: Call me, asap. Code Red. _2 Minutes Ago.

She pressed call, and put the phone to her ear as she stepped over the dirty clothes and into her room to change. The phone rang only once before he was on the other line.

_"I'm coming over in like 10 minutes, just need to get my clothes. Want me to bring some snacks" _he panted through the phone. Her brows furrowed slightly.

"Yeah, sure." she frowned. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion as she glanced at the clock in her room. It was 10:45. "What's wrong?"

_"W-what do you mean? Nothing's wrong, Ads." _he stumbled over his words, and his voice lowered with each word.

"Alex, it's 10:45, you're actually _telling _me you're coming over, and you said it was a Code Red. What's wrong?" her frown deepened when there was no response.

_"What if nobody likes me?" _he groaned_, "I mean, as far as they know I'm some guy from a snobby private school, what if they think I'm some stuck up asshole, you know?" _

Adelaide didn't know what to say. She knew he was nervous about going to a new school, but she didn't think it was that bad. He was one of the best people she'd ever met, she didn't know why he was so nervous. So, she laughed. Her laughter rang throughout the room, and Alex definitely heard it. A small whine came from the white ball of fur on her bed and she quieted down.

_"Stop laughing," he whined into the phone, "It isn't funny, Ads"_

"Alex, everyone is going to fucking _love _you. You're Alexander Devereux, best friend of Adelaide Martin, you have nothing to worry about." she added with a small smirk, "Trust me."

_"If you say so..." _he trailed off, _"But I'm still coming over. God knows what would happen if I let you dress yourself tomorrow. It'd probably be disastrous." _And with that, he hung up, leaving her there with a fond smile on her face.

Her thoughts of blood, guts, and guns were replaced with thoughts of Alex, clothes, and food. She pushed everything that happened that night down, put her phone back on its charger, and went downstairs to get some food ready.

As soon as she left her room, her phone started vibrating.

_Unknown Number Calling_

* * *

**Thank you so much for reading! I'd really appreciate it if you told me what you thought of this chapter, I was a bit insecure about it. Feedback from you guys makes me very happy, like reeeaally happy haha. You can PM me if you have any questions, or just want to talk :D **


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